Illustration: Arife Dila Demir
Multi-Sensory Design for Somatic WellBeing based on the idea of delving into the realm of bodily sensations can unlock fresh perspectives on our own bodies, nurturing heightened bodily awareness and encouraging caring practices.
The project is dedicated to explore somatic care along three vital dimensions: addressing bodily discomforts, cultivating self and relational awareness, and understanding intimacy.
The primary focus of this project is to address the challenges faced by individuals living with chronic gut diseases, such as IBS (irritable-bowel-syndrome), SIBO (small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth), IBD (inflammatory-bowel-disease), Crohn’s disease etc.
The project looks into the difficulties that can be experienced by these individuals in expressing their experiences, dealing with the associated shame and taboos, and navigating the profound impact of these diseases on their relationship with food. In doing so, the project aims to revolutionise somatic well-being, challenge societal taboos, and break free from the burden of shame.
Lead Researchers: dr. Arife Dila Demir (lead researcher)
Researchers: Nesli Hazal Oktay ja dr. Kristi Kuusk
Duration: September 2023 – August 2025
Financing: EKA grant
Grant Sum: 70 000 euros